Thailand's health and beauty sector still growing despite recession
By Jon Fernquest
More
cosmopolitan and open to foreigners than
perhaps any other country in Asia, Thailand is a fertile
test-bed
for the global travel and leisure industry. Medical tourism is on the leading edge of Thai tourism, as well as spas with new innovative designs, and luxury condominiums with striking interior designs and architecture.
Much of this is fueled by Thailand's tourism industry, both by the long-term residents and repeat visitors who have invested in Thai real estate as well as by the much larger group of once-off visitors.
All of these areas are reported on regularly in the Bangkok Post (Read articles on medical tourism, spas, and on interior design and architecture).
Herbal food and nutritional products, as well as beauty products, ever popular in the west, have taken off in Thailand with the growing popularity of OTOP products in the last few years produced locally in farming communities
(Read article on OTOP revival and Japan OTOP partnership and on one Thai hospital's herbal medicine business and Thai standards for health-enhancing food).
Today's article is about the growing health and beauty export industry in Thailand.
(Photo on right of a painting of Venus, goddess of love and beauty, The Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli c. 1485–1486)
cosmopolitan- a
place or society full of people from different cultures and countries
fertile - able to produce a lot of good and original ideas
a test bed - a place or piece of equipment for testing new machines and ideas
medical tourism - term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care (See Wikipedia)
on the leading edge - using the latest technologies and designs
spas - a resort or beauty salon for relaxing personal care treatments (See Wikipedia)
striking - very noticeable, different, and unusual
interior design - designing and decorating the insides of homes, apartments, and offices
fueled by -
repeat visitors - tourists who travel several times to a destination like Thailand
once-off visitors - people who travel only once to a destination
herbs (noun) - a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities, herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes (See Wikipedia)
herbal (adjective) - using herbs
nutritional -healthy food
a product takes off - a product becomes successful with many customers
OTOP (One Tambon One Product) - a program to promote rural Thai businesses both domestically and internationally, started by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin, the program modelled itself after Japan's successful One Village One Product (OVOP) program, strove for improvements in local product quality and marketing, the kinds of products promoted included local food products, handicrafts, clothes, accessories, and household items (See Wikipedia)
One Village One Product (OVOP) - a program in Japan to promote Japanese products produced by small businesses at the local level, Japanese cuisine products produced include shiitake, kabosu sour green citrus fruit, the tangerine-like mikan fruit, beef, aji used in sushi and sashimi, and the barley shochu drink (See the website, Wikipedia and a presentation on the program, and an OVOP program in the African nation of Malawi)
revival - bringing to life again
X enhancing - increases the amount of X present
fertile - able to produce a lot of good and original ideas
a test bed - a place or piece of equipment for testing new machines and ideas
medical tourism - term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care (See Wikipedia)
on the leading edge - using the latest technologies and designs
spas - a resort or beauty salon for relaxing personal care treatments (See Wikipedia)
striking - very noticeable, different, and unusual
interior design - designing and decorating the insides of homes, apartments, and offices
fueled by -
repeat visitors - tourists who travel several times to a destination like Thailand
once-off visitors - people who travel only once to a destination
herbs (noun) - a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities, herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes (See Wikipedia)
herbal (adjective) - using herbs
nutritional -healthy food
a product takes off - a product becomes successful with many customers
OTOP (One Tambon One Product) - a program to promote rural Thai businesses both domestically and internationally, started by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin, the program modelled itself after Japan's successful One Village One Product (OVOP) program, strove for improvements in local product quality and marketing, the kinds of products promoted included local food products, handicrafts, clothes, accessories, and household items (See Wikipedia)
One Village One Product (OVOP) - a program in Japan to promote Japanese products produced by small businesses at the local level, Japanese cuisine products produced include shiitake, kabosu sour green citrus fruit, the tangerine-like mikan fruit, beef, aji used in sushi and sashimi, and the barley shochu drink (See the website, Wikipedia and a presentation on the program, and an OVOP program in the African nation of Malawi)
revival - bringing to life again
X enhancing - increases the amount of X present
Health and beauty exports expected to rise by 10%
Foreign patients up despite downturnBy PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
13/05/2009
Thailand's high-profile health and beauty industry should still grow this year despite the global economic crisis whittling down consumer purchasing power.
Shipments of the country's health and beauty products are expected to rise by at least 10% this year to top 200 billion baht, said Rachane Potjanasuntorn, director-general of the Export Promotion Department.
high profile - very
visible to the public (many people know about it)
whittling down - reducing by small amounts slowing (original meaning: carving of small bits of wood)
consumer purchasing power - what consumers and families in an economy can buy with the money they have
whittling down - reducing by small amounts slowing (original meaning: carving of small bits of wood)
consumer purchasing power - what consumers and families in an economy can buy with the money they have
Healthcare
The rise was attributed mainly to robust health care services, notably by private hospitals, where foreign patients have increased 10% a year.This year, Thailand's health-care services are forecast to generate 108.2 billion baht from foreign patients, a rise from 107.42 billion last year.
Major markets for Thai medical and health-care services are Japan, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Asean and South Asia, while Russia, Canada and Eastern, Southern and Central Europe are emerging.
X attributed to Y - X
was explained by Y
X attributed mainly to Y - X was explained mostly by Y, but there were other causes too
robust - strong
health care services - the services provided by doctors and dentists treating and curing disease in hospitals and clinics
private hospitals - profit-making hospitals owned by companies rather than government
X attributed mainly to Y - X was explained mostly by Y, but there were other causes too
robust - strong
health care services - the services provided by doctors and dentists treating and curing disease in hospitals and clinics
private hospitals - profit-making hospitals owned by companies rather than government
Spas
Spas are another vital income contributor, with over four million people seeking spa services last year, generating 14.87 billion baht, with 80% of them foreigners.Income from spa services is expected to top 15 billion baht this year, with key markets including Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
"People, be they Thai or foreign, remain concerned about health care despite the world economic crisis," said Mr Rachane.
According to the director-general, to ensure the industry's expansion, the government plans not only to promote quality and standards in spa products and services but also encourage the creation of clusters with related industries such as fabrics, furnishings and networking.
vital - important
and necessary
a vital income contributor - an important contributor to Thailand's national income
generating 14.87 billion baht - creating business revenues of 14.87 billion baht
key markets - most important markets
promote quality and standards - try to get companies to improve the quality of their products
a standard - a level of quality or achievement (that people strive to reach)
fabrics, textiles, cloth - thread woven together and used for clothes, curtains, sheets (See Wikipedia on textiles, textile industry, textile manufacturing technology, and list of different textiles)
furnishings - all the furniture, carpets, decorations, pictures, lamps, and curtains in the room of a home or office
a vital income contributor - an important contributor to Thailand's national income
generating 14.87 billion baht - creating business revenues of 14.87 billion baht
key markets - most important markets
promote quality and standards - try to get companies to improve the quality of their products
a standard - a level of quality or achievement (that people strive to reach)
fabrics, textiles, cloth - thread woven together and used for clothes, curtains, sheets (See Wikipedia on textiles, textile industry, textile manufacturing technology, and list of different textiles)
furnishings - all the furniture, carpets, decorations, pictures, lamps, and curtains in the room of a home or office
Herbal products
Watcharapong Pongboriboon, the honorary chairman of the Herbal Products Association, said Thai herbs were also becoming popular among consumers, as concerns over global warming have prompted consumers to shift more to natural products. Thailand has a geographic competitive edge for grownew corporrateraing herbs, he said.Herbal products are estimated to provide 60 billion baht a year, with 7-8 billion baht from herbal medicine, 2 billion baht from food supplements, and the rest from cosmetics.
To promote Thai health and beauty products, the Export Promotion Department will host "Thailand Health and Beauty Show 2009" at Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon from June 5-7.
The event will feature up to 450 booths from 350 companies, with at least 20,000 Thai and foreign visitors expected to attend the fair.
global warming - (See
Wikipedia
and on controversy)
a competitive edge - something that helps a company compete and be more successful than other companies
herbal medicine - a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice using plants (See Wikipedia)
food supplements, dietary supplements - a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet (See Wikipedia)
cosmetics - things such as powders, creams, lipstick, and eye liner that women use to make themselves look more beautiful (See Wikipedia)
X features Y - X has Y, Y is part of X
booths - small areas in a larger public area where companies show their products and services
fair, trade fair, trade show - an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent trends and opportunities (See Wikipedia)
attend the fair - go to the fair, walk around and look at booths
a competitive edge - something that helps a company compete and be more successful than other companies
herbal medicine - a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice using plants (See Wikipedia)
food supplements, dietary supplements - a preparation intended to provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids, that are missing or are not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet (See Wikipedia)
cosmetics - things such as powders, creams, lipstick, and eye liner that women use to make themselves look more beautiful (See Wikipedia)
X features Y - X has Y, Y is part of X
booths - small areas in a larger public area where companies show their products and services
fair, trade fair, trade show - an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent trends and opportunities (See Wikipedia)
attend the fair - go to the fair, walk around and look at booths
(Source: Bangkok Post, business, 13/05/2009, Health and beauty exports expected to rise by 10%, PHUSADEE ARUNMAS, link)
